This year, 10-year-old Amanda Paris had a different kind of Christmas wish – to offer a little confidence to a stranger by donating her long, red ponytail.

Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces to children 18 and younger who have lost their own hair for medical reasons, will be the recipient.

Amanda, daughter of Jane and John Paris, read about another girl who cut and donated her hair for the cause and decided she would take the plunge. Thursday seemed like the right time.

&#8220I thought it would be a good idea for all the girls who want hair for Christmas,” the St. Francis Xavier fifth-grader said.

At the salon, Amanda closed her eyes and held her breath as stylist Kara Parmegiani of Hair Envy started to cut off her ponytail, which met the 10-inch minimum for Locks of Love.

&#8220You ready?” Parmegiani asked.

&#8220Ready as I’ll ever be,” Amanda said just before the scissors slowly made their way through her thick, straight locks.

&#8220Oh, it’s hurting me. It’s hurting me – bad,” Parmegiani said as she detached the ponytail from the rest of Amanda’s hair.

When it was all said and done, Amanda’s mother took the hair, kissed it and placed it into a plastic bag, which they will mail to the nonprofit organization.

&#8220Merry Christmas,” Jane Paris said as she zipped the seal.

Now, with a new hairdo, Amanda couldn’t pry her eyes off the mirror, staring at a short-haired stranger.

&#8220It feels so weird,” she said. &#8220I miss my ponytail.”

But, as her mom told her before – &#8220I know – it always grows back,” Amanda said.

When Jane Paris made the appointment the day before, Amanda knew she was ready. She’d kept her hair short previously, but for the past 9 months, she let it grow to just below her shoulders.

&#8220I decided it was time to get it done,” Amanda said.

She’s not the only one in town who is growing locks to donate. In fact, her neighbor, 16-year-old Lindsey Blackledge, has been growing her hair out for the past year to donate it. She thought she would be ready in time to make the cut before Christmas, but she has since decided to grow it longer.

&#8220It’s about 10 inches, but I wanted it a little longer. I decided to grow it out a little more – between 10- and 12-inches.

Lindsey, the daughter of Jan and David Blackledge, will donate her hair in memory of her grandmother, who died of cancer four years ago.

&#8220It’s sad how kids have cancer. I felt like I could do this for my grandmother and also help a little child,” she said.

No matter what the reason, it’s the giving that counts.

&#8220It kind of makes you feel good about what you’re doing,” Amanda said.